Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-01-28
The Snake Geranium.
"a snake geraninmr"
Eyes, that is what l call il" said the

1es, that Is what call II, sara tue
doctor.
stopped down to examine the flower.
Hidsous, repulsive, and yet strangely
attractive, the snake geranium seemed
TO hold me under spell.
To describe this flower one would
have TO paint life and motion. Mere
color i. not enough. As | looked the
evil thing glared at me with sinister in-
telligence. There was nothing remark
able about the stalk and the leaves Of
tile plant. The blossom was what riv-
eted my gaze. Black, sinuous, and
Shiny. it looked more like snake than
anything else. As changed my point
OF view the thing changed its aspect.
Its scales were a purplisA black, then a
dirty brown. Two little CLASSY beads
in the monsters head glittered with
prismatic hues and looked straight into
my eyes. Was | mistaken! | could
have sworn that this awesome thing
turned and twisted with the uncanny
freakishness OF reptile.
"You know something of botanyy
said the doctor, chow do you classify
it?"
"lt is not to be classified" | answer
ed. "It is monstrosity. There is
nothing like it. Is il poisonous?"
81 think so, was the reply; "the old
African who found it called il 4 'pizen
plant, but renamed it.
have seen nearly everything worth
seeing in the floral world, but this sim
gular plant blooming unnotised in an
obscure corner OF country doctors
garden amazed me beyond explosion.
From the first the sickening odor OF
TIE flower had been terribly oppressive.
In fact, it had prevented close e1ami-
nation. Suddenly my brain seemed to
be numbed, cold chill seized me, and,
with face of deadly pallor, reeled
and would have fallen 10 the ground
but for the doctors strong arm.
Twas half sick, or rather in dazed,
half stupefied state, for days after my
return to town. That evening negro
called at my house with note from my
friend the doctor, and covered basket.
The messenger was gone before | could
read the note. glanced at the paper
and then opened the basket. did not
know whether to laugh or be angry.
Comfortably fixed in big jar, the
snake geranium gave flirty twist and
snapped its wicked eyes in my face
To have this floral horror in my house
was out OF the question, and yet was
proud of the monster. made SER
want carry it to sunny nook In the
back ward. She returned with chatter
ing teeth.
"De Lawd hab mussy" she exslaim-
ed, "dat ting's alive. Hill bite, sho's
yer bawn"
Sometimes | carried my friends to see
my pet. | invariably had the satisfac-
ton of hearing them swear, aud gener-
ally had to send them home in a carri-
age. One Whit Of the snake geranium
was enough to make totter-wreck oi
the strongest man.
\ little girl living next door took a
wonderful fancy to the flower. Free
quently she came over when was ab-
sent and spent an hour at time fond
ling the plant and looking at
it. OF all the persons who saw 1t she
wa. the only one not affected BY its Pc
culiar odor. Sometimes ! fell into a
deep study over the mutual attachment
existing between my monster ana the
girl. call 1t mutual, because II was
impossible to view my snake gersnium
without giving it credit for life and in
telligence. The girl was queer little
creature, with midnight hair and vel
vety eyes. She had certain impish
beauty that made me shuddcr. Retween
the girl and the geranium | came near
being deviled to death.
AS the weeks passed OIL the girl con-
tinued her visits. She grew thinner
and paler, and her eyes grew larger and
blaoker. More than once / overheard
the servants whispering that the snake
geranium was killing the child. This
alarmed me, and one day | tolC my
Young neighbor that the plant was pois-
onous. and that she must not 60 near IT,
She rsthar shrank from me, and with
sorrowful look, sped homeward without
saying word.
came home Unexpectedly one Gay,
and found the girl paying surreptl'
tious visit 10 the flower. went TO her
full of wrath, but was disarmed By what
| saw. The poor thing had tainted, and
wriggling and squirrning over the side
of the Jar, within few inches Of the
chIld's face, was that diabolieal gerani'
UNI
took my visitor home and told hel
mother all about il. We spoke in sons
severity to the little offender, but w
thought it was for her good. | nevei
once thought of destroying my monster
No words can express the borrnr
felt the next morning when / hear'
that my girl neighbor was dead. Sb'
had been found lifeless and cold in bee
at an early hour. Her appearance,
,old mas tba,o of nsrson who hal